Her littermates had names. She didn’t. They played; she slept in volunteers’ laps. They got adopted quickly. The lone black kitten with the flat, congested face didn’t. A medical checkup diagnosed her with a chronic upper respiratory infection, and what followed was a painful cycle: back to the NAC, flare up from the stress of the move, back to the … Read More
The Work of Showing Up
It began when she was eight years old. “My journey began with community cats,” she says. “My grandmother was living in a senior facility in Hollister, and during visits we quickly noticed the large number of cats living on the property — over 60 in need of care.” At first, she and her family simply fed them. But feeding led … Read More
Farther Than Any One Person Can
He asked about them and learned they’d been rescued from desperate circumstances in Taiwan and brought to the States through an informal network of volunteers working across both sides of the Pacific. Jeff was smitten. Their humans offered to introduce him to some of those volunteers. That was the spark that lit the fire. Within weeks, he knew he wanted … Read More
March Madness: Meet Our Final Four
The votes are in, the bracket is decided, and we have our champion. After weeks of voting, four finalists emerged. Two cats. Two dogs. All personality. Champion One of the foster home’s dogs tried to sniff her. She smacked him in the face. “I knew right then I had a sassy queen,” her adopter Karina said. Chispita goes on … Read More
The Math Behind Kitten Season
On a Thursday morning in late February, a litter of bottle babies – orphaned kittens too young to eat on their own – arrived at Humane Society Silicon Valley. They were days old, eyes still sealed shut, small enough to fit in your palm. By the time our logistics team had them settled, the planning for their care was already … Read More
Back to Basics: How Rhiannon Is Reclaiming Incremental Care in Community Medicine
On a recent Wednesday at the Community Pet Clinic, everything seemed calm until it wasn’t. Suddenly, multiple patients needed x-rays. Sedation units were in demand. The treatment floor filled with movement and coordination. For Rhiannon, that rhythm feels familiar. “I think that’s very much how it goes,” she says with a smile. For more than a decade, veterinary medicine has … Read More
Teaching Trust: How Cecily Builds Pathways to Care
On any given week, Cecily Cigolini is coordinating mobile clinics at local libraries and housing sites, reviewing spay and neuter requests, answering emails from pet pantry clients, or collaborating with veterinary staff at HSSV’s Community Pet Clinic. As Community Services Supervisor at Humane Society Silicon Valley, her role centers on one core question: How do we make care easier to … Read More
Why Your Vet Spayed Their Dog
If you’ve ever hesitated about spaying or neutering your pet, you’re not alone. And that hesitation usually comes from a good place – wanting what’s best for your pet. “That feeling comes from love,” says Dr. Witting, a veterinarian at HSSV. “You’re imagining how you would feel if someone made that decision for you. That’s empathy – and it’s a … Read More